TY - JOUR
T1 - Birdsong Learning and Culture
T2 - Analogies with Human Spoken Language
AU - Hyland Bruno, Julia
AU - Jarvis, Erich D.
AU - Liberman, Mark
AU - Tchernichovski, Ofer
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2021 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/1/4
Y1 - 2021/1/4
N2 - Unlike many species, song learning birds and humans have independently evolved the ability to communicate via learned vocalizations. Both birdsong and spoken language are culturally transmitted across generations, within species-specific constraints that leave room for considerable variation. We review the commonalities and differences between vocal learning bird species and humans, across behavioral, developmental, neuroanatomical, physiological, and genetic levels. We propose that cultural transmission of vocal repertoires is a natural consequence of the evolution of vocal learning and that at least some species-specific universals, as well as species differences in cultural transmission, are due to differences in vocal learning phenotypes, which are shaped by genetic constraints. We suggest that it is the balance between these constraints and features of the social environment that allows cultural learning to propagate. We describe new opportunities for exploring meaningful comparisons of birdsong and human vocal culture.
AB - Unlike many species, song learning birds and humans have independently evolved the ability to communicate via learned vocalizations. Both birdsong and spoken language are culturally transmitted across generations, within species-specific constraints that leave room for considerable variation. We review the commonalities and differences between vocal learning bird species and humans, across behavioral, developmental, neuroanatomical, physiological, and genetic levels. We propose that cultural transmission of vocal repertoires is a natural consequence of the evolution of vocal learning and that at least some species-specific universals, as well as species differences in cultural transmission, are due to differences in vocal learning phenotypes, which are shaped by genetic constraints. We suggest that it is the balance between these constraints and features of the social environment that allows cultural learning to propagate. We describe new opportunities for exploring meaningful comparisons of birdsong and human vocal culture.
KW - culture
KW - songbirds
KW - spoken language
KW - vocal coordination
KW - vocal learning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100075695&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85100075695&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1146/annurev-linguistics-090420-121034
DO - 10.1146/annurev-linguistics-090420-121034
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85100075695
SN - 2333-9683
VL - 7
SP - 449
EP - 472
JO - Annual Review of Linguistics
JF - Annual Review of Linguistics
ER -